Ivory lands Chipata man 5-year jail term

The Chipata Magistrate Court has sentenced a 34-year-old man of Chinula village in Chief Chanje’s area to five years imprisonment with hard labour, on one count of being in possession of four pieces of ivory, weighing 43 kilograms.

Facts before the court were that James Mbewe, 34, and Gilbert Banda, 33, on September 6, 2017, were found with four pieces of prescribed trophy, Ivory, without the certificate of ownership issued by the director of Department of National Parks and Wildlife, as required by the law.

The two were apprehended by officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, in Mgubudu area.

Mbewe admitted the charge while Banda denied.

In mitigation, Mbewe asked the court to exercise leniency as he is taking care of orphans.

Resident Magistrate Boniface Mwala said the court had heard his mitigation and that he is a first offender who readily admitted the charge.

He however, said the offence that the accused committed is serious.

He then sentenced him to five years with effect from his arrest and advised him to appeal to the high court within 14 days if he is not satisfied with the court’s ruling.

And Magistrate Mwala has set October 2, 2017, as date for commencement of trial in the case of Banda who denied the charge.

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